Episodes

Marissa and Mary consider the realism of gritty 1980s teen gambling. Is it harder or easier for a kid to get into money troubles in the 2020s?  And another thing: what do these supposedly “ugly” earrings of Jessica’s look like? And where...

It’s the Season 6 Premiere of SVD, and former terrible boyfriend and current minor character Ronnie Edwards has a problem. What’s that? You don’t care about Ronnie’s problems? Well, what if I told you that Ronnie’s in bad trouble with a...

Sweet Valley Diaries returns on April 22, 2021!  Have you ever heard of Sweet Valley High? No? Yes? Either way, you're gonna wanna hear this. Whether you start on Book 1 or Book 51, Sweet Valley Diaries is always going to bring you a wild story,...

The Wakefields have had spring and summer treks to NorCal, Malibu, France...and now, the icing on the cake: Walkersville, Kansas. How will these small town rubes handle the Blonde Invasion? As guest Megan Keller and Marissa are here to tell you:...

Hiatus, schmiatus -- back by popular demand, it's Don Flaxbart (Also featuring Marissa). Listen as father and daughter discuss the heavy implications of Jessica's scheming -- even heavier than usual this time! -- as she helps nearly ruin one young...

Allison Chin returns to investigate: what's the deal with Jade Wu's dad? And we consider the "traditional Chinese" art of...dicing? And who or what exactly is out of reach in Out of Reach?

We did it!!! Book 50!! In this Season 5 finale (not counting next week's Extra Drama), actor Allison Chin and Marissa examine the intricate dance (get it?) that is the portrayal and treatment of sophomore Jade Wu. All the misunderstandings,...

Andy Greene and Aaron Davitian are experts in one teen soap opera, and now they've been indoctrinated into another. How do the world and characters of Gossip Girl map onto those of Sweet Valley, CA? You're about to find out.

Jessica is changing her entire personality for a boy and the changes are...bad. And hilarious. Hosts of the Gossip Guys podcast, Andrew Greene and Aaron Davitian marvel at the sparkling prose of PLAYING FOR KEEPS, and at a certain sexpot named...

Omigod you guys, Gladiator Heather sent in her very own copy of the official 1988 Sweet Valley High Slam Book! Denise and Marissa read personal messages straight from Liz and Jessica themselves, and don't dwell too much on the idea that the very...

From the vantage point of 2020, it's unclear whether Sweet Valley High #48, SLAM BOOK FEVER, captured a phenomenon or started one. What we know for sure is that teenagers writing down all their opinions about each other could never, ever go wrong,...

Marissa Wasseluk-Stuart is back for a promised discussion of the 1999 teen rom-com DRIVE ME CRAZY. We promise, it has at least a little something to do with Sweet Valley High #47. What? Listen to find out!   Discussed in this episode:

Marissa Wasseluk-Stuart returns to talk about the other Porter sister, Julie. Julie's friend Josh is pledging SVH fraternity Phi Epsilon, Elizabeth is back at recorder practice, Jessica is auditioning to be the lead in a play she knows nothing about,...

Marissa and her guest Mary Kate have been friends since middle school. In this extra drama, they reminisce not so much about small town life in Northwest Indiana, but about leaving that small town life behind. Also, we talk a little bit about...

Marissa's BFF Mary Kate Battles is back for more Robin Wilson drama! A lot has changed since POWER PLAY -- now Robin's a star diver with a big decision on her hands. But never mind all that; let's talk about the haunting melodic potential of the...

In FAMILY SECRETS, Kelly Bates is plagued by a recurring dream. She only remembers scant details, but hey, that's all you need when consulting 1996's ILLUSTRATED DREAM DICTIONARY, a book Marissa has had on her shelf since middle school (probably)....

See No Evil...never before has one phrase simultaneously served as the rear cover headline, the main character's flaw, and the costume that she wears to the Big Dance. Guest reader (and former Sweet Valley High reader!) Shey Lyn Zanotti joins Marissa...

Marissa and guest reader Katie LaDue bring their personal baggage to bear on Steven's behavior, then on Abbie's. Then things turn to the baggage that other people (like the Wakefield Twins, say) bring into their assumptions about others. All the...

Cara and Steven grace the outside of PRETENSES, and they are certainly featured on its inside. But Marissa and her return guest, Steven Wakefield romance specialist Katie LaDue, agree that this is really is really Abby Richardson's story. Who is Abby...

Adaora Nwandu Earl returns to discuss pre-reading predictions for  Book 43: HARD CHOICES, the challenges of asserting yourself with family, and strong female relationships in Sweet Valley...all in just over 10 minutes.

"Enid's grandma moves in" might sound like the least interesting chapter of our soap opera, like, ever. But think again: Nana's a citizen of Sweet Valley now and she brought the drama along with her from Chicago. Guest reader Adaora Nwandu Earl returns!

Manuel Lopez is the first Latinx character in Sweet Valley who gets any kind of spotlight. And he's the greatest guy in history! Aisha Bhoori is back for a quick look at Manuel's perfection and how it illustrates the "model minority" myth.  Sweet...

Sandra Bacon and Manuel Lopez may not be the stars of the Sweet Valleyverse, but if SVH is going to attempt to dip its toes in the murky waters of racial prejudice and interracial romance, you'd better believe that Diaries is ready to talk SO MUCH...

Marissa and her guest, expert in melodramatic Lifetime Original movies Megan Tripp, brainstorm the LOM version of Molly Hecht’s ON THE EDGE/OUTCAST saga. Listen to more Lifetime movie talk on Megan's